What could a potential Patrik Laine trade to Minnesota Wild look like?

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine has requested a trade but no deal has been made.

Laine has spent the last four years with Columbus, but last season, he only skated in 18 games. At full health, he can be one of the top players in the NHL, however, he has struggled with consistency.

Despite Laine's request, GM Don Wadell says he won't force a trade.

"You know, our hope is that we wouldn't have to hold money," Waddell said, via NHL.com. "We want to make a hockey trade if we can and certainly exhaust every opportunity and every team that potentially has interest... If the options are limited or ththere areo options that make any sense, then we'll have to deal with that."

One team that has been rumored to be interested in Laine is the Minnesota Wild. Wild GM Bill Guerin is expected to reach out to see if Laine is interested in joining Minnesota and will then try to work out a deal.

What could a potential Patrik Laine trade to Minnesota Wild look like?

If Patrik Laine is traded to the Minnesota Wild, the Columbus Blue Jackets will have to retain money, despite Waddell not wanting to.

Laine is owed $8.7 million while the Wild only has over $750k in cap space, so Minnesota would need to move out $8 million in the trade or have Columbus retain money.

A possible deal could be Laine going to Minnesota with 33% retained for Marco Rossi but would be expendable as Laine could replace him. Draft picks could also be involved.

Meanwhile, one user on PuckGM had this mock trade for Laine:

Wild get:

• Laine ($2.2 million retained)

Blue Jackets get:

• Marcus Johansson
• Charlie Stramel
• 2025 fourth-round pick
• 2026 third-round pick

This trade does make sense on paper and could be the framework for the deal.

The Laine deal is complicated due to Columbus not wanting to retain money, and also wanting NHL players in return.